Diagnosing thermistor problems in your Electrolux bottom-mount refrigerator
If the fresh food section of your refrigerator isn’t cooling properly, you could have a problem with the appliance’s thermistor or temperature sensor. The electronic control board monitors the thermistor and controls the refrigerator temperature based on thermistor signals. A broken thermistor could send the wrong information to the control board, resulting in a refrigerator temperature that’s too cold or not cold enough.
Check the thermistor resistance. For safety, unplug the refrigerator. Remove the thermistor cover to access the thermistor. Examine the thermistor's wire harness for damage or loose connections. If the wiring harness looks okay, check the resistance of the thermistor using a multimeter. Remove the thermistor and put the meter leads on the two white wires. The tech sheet for your refrigerator includes a temperature/resistance chart for the thermistor. You can usually find the tech sheet inside the refrigerator, stored behind the bottom front grill. Refer to this chart for the expected resistance readings for your model.
You'll need to replace the thermistor if its resistance doesn't match the expected resistance on the temperature/resistance chart.
If thermistor resistance is good, then you may need to replace the electronic control board.
Electrolux bottom-mount refrigerator common replacement parts
- Water filter. The refrigerator water filter is installed in the filter housing and has carbon and/or other filter materials inside. It removes most sediment and other impurities from the water supplied to the refrigerator. Manufacturers recommend replacing the water filter every 3 to 6 months.
- Water inlet valve. The water flow into the refrigerator is controlled by an electrically operated water inlet valve, which is usually located in the machine compartment at the bottom, back of the refrigerator. This valve has a coil that opens the valve and allows water to flow into the refrigerator water system when the valve is open. When voltage is shut off to the valve, the valve closes and prevents water from flowing into the water system in the refrigerator.
- Evaporator fan. The evaporator fan is mounted on the evaporator assembly. It moves air across the evaporator fins and through the refrigerator cabinet for cooling.
- Drain pan. The drain pan collects condensate water from the defrost cycle. It's located in the machine compartment of the refrigerator, next to the compressor. The defrost system melts frost and ice from the evaporator fins about every 8 hours to increase the efficiency of the evaporator heat exchanger. The condensate water that drips from the evaporator during that process collects in the evaporator drip tray and then is routed to the drain pan through a drain tube. The drain pan collects the condensate, which is evaporated by the heat and air flow in the machine compartment before the next defrost cycle begins.